Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1880-1934
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SITHERWOOD, n. Also sidderwood, -wud; ‡siddernwud (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Sc. variants of Eng. southernwood, Artemisia abrotanum (Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo 16). See also South, adv., (6) and cf. Aippleringie. See D, 4. [′sɪðərwød, ′sɪdər(n)-]Lnk. 1880 P. M'Arthur Amusements 80:
And mony a scented flower was there — the sitherwood, the fine sweet briar.Gall. 1895 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 48:
The custom of young or unmarried women generally carrying a small piece of Southernwood, or "Lad's Love," when going to church. I think this may originally have been with a deeper motive than that of enjoying the fragrance of the "Sidderwood."Gall. 1932 A. McCormick Galloway 206:
She invariably placed a wild rose, or a bit of sitherwood, in his buttonhole.s.Sc. 1934 Border Mag. (Sept.) 132:
Whaur sidderwud sweet scents the breeze.
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"Sitherwood n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sitherwood>
